4 HCCC inmates attempt to escape; inmate's mother speaks out

From left to right: Airiel Jost, Douglas Kamiola, Malaki McBride, and Kawaipuna Noa.

Kawaipuna Noa with his mom

Kawaipuna Noa with his mom and sister

HILO, BIG ISLAND (HawaiiNewsNow) -
Authorities lift a lockdown at a Big Island jail after four inmates tried to escape by allegedly ramming their way out of their room. Family visits were canceled on Saturday after the attempted jail break in Hilo. The four men are behind bars for crimes ranging from burglary to murder.

The quad share a dorm-style room together at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center on the Big Island. Hawaii Department of Public Safety said they tried to escape by using a piece of furniture to ram a door open in their housing unit around 2:00 a.m.

"The correctional officers were very fast in dealing with this situation. They were able to contain the entire incident without a half hour. No one was hurt, there are no inmates missing, and at no time did anyone escape from the secured perimeter. And that's the credit of our correctional officers who do their jobs very well," said DPS spokeswoman, Toni Schwartz.

Noa's mother says she was shocked and speechless after hearing about what happened.

"I don't agree with what he has done. I am not happy with it. But I do love Kawaipuna and I can understand why he did what he did. But we both know that that was wrong," said Debbie Kama.

"Very kind hearted, caring, loving, always there to help someone in need, put them first before himself,” Kama said describing her son.

Noa is serving ten years for two counts of felony abuse charges and is awaiting trial for criminal property damage. Jost is in for theft and bail jumping. He's pending trial for several charges including burglary and terroristic threatening. Kamiola is doing time for burglary and a firearm charge. He is also awaiting trial for more charges including identity theft. McBride is locked up for murder. He was 17 when he found his girlfriend having sex in her car with 21-year-old Tyrone Torres back in 2007. McBride opened the passenger side door and shot Torres in the head with a shotgun. McBride then drove the car off and set it on fire with Torres' body inside.

Kama says to some, her son may be considered a criminal. But to her, he is still a human being with a good heart.

"It doesn't matter what he has done in the past, to end up in there, it doesn't matter what he did last night, it doesn't change my love for him. I love my son. I will not love him any less."

Hawaii County Police is investigating the incident and will determine if new charges are warranted. If so, Schwartz says typically they will get sent to a higher security facility, such as Halawa Correctional Facility.

Scientists agree that the Earth has been warming due to human-induced climate change, and as temperatures continue to rise, an increasing amount of severe weather events are expected to occur. Hawaii has already been seeing some of the impacts, researchers say, so how can the state prepare for more severe effects in the future?

Scientists agree that the Earth has been warming due to human-induced climate change, and as temperatures continue to rise, an increasing amount of severe weather events are expected to occur. Hawaii has already been seeing some of the impacts, researchers say, so how can the state prepare for more severe effects in the future?